FAQ
What does the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs do?
Where is the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs located?
Do I need to be a Georgia resident to use the services of your office?
Is there a fee for your services?
What happens to the written complaint I submit?
What if I am unhappy with a company’s customer service? Can your office help me?
Can I stop the unsolicited telephone calls?
What does the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs do?
The Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs is the consumer protection agency for the State of Georgia. The office is charged with protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive acts and practices in the context of consumer transactions. We investigate consumer problems, monitor the marketplace to promote fair and honest competition, take enforcement actions against violators and publish consumer education materials and alert warnings.
Where is the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs located?
Our office is at 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE, Suite 356, Atlanta, Georgia 30334. We are on the third floor (Plaza Level) of the East Tower of the Floyd Building, across the street from the State Capitol. Visitors can easily reach us either by MARTA (the Georgia State station off the East-West line) or from Interstate 75/85 or Interstate 20.
Driving directions and parking
Do I need to be a Georgia resident to use the services of your office?
No. Georgians may get in touch with us about problems they are having with businesses located either in the state or out of state, but out-of-state residents may also contact us about difficulties with Georgia businesses if the transaction was with a company site in Georgia. It is important to understand that we are unable to assist in those matters where the only connection to Georgia is that the company’s billing department or headquarters is located here.
Is there a fee for your services?
There is no fee to consumers. We do not charge you for reviewing your information, referring you to other consumer protection agencies, mediating between consumers and businesses, or investigating your allegations. This office also provides administrative services to certain types of businesses, and charges may apply in some of these cases. For example, we license buying clubs, and there is a fee set by statute for the license.
How do I find out whether a business is reputable? Can your office recommend a particular business to me?
We cannot make specific recommendations and routinely refer inquiries about a business’ standing to the Better Business Bureau(BBB), since by law and for reasons of confidentiality the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs could not acknowledge an open investigation of a company. The BBB maintains a large database of businesses and charities and publishes reliability reports summarizing the experiences of other customers.
The Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. has many independent local offices where you can inquire about an established company operating in a given area. You can reach the BBB online (the main website directs you to the various regional headquarters) or by phone to do a reputation check, using the city, state or zip code where the company is located.
How do I file a complaint?
For detailed instructions, please see the link to our General Complaint Process.
What happens to the written complaint I submit?
The staff of the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs reviews all complaints. Many result in enforcement action against violators of Georgia statutes. If you file a written complaint, we will advise you in writing of its status.
Please note that the filing of a written complaint does not guarantee that this office will be able to take action against the company. Even if we are unable to take action, however, your complaint provides valuable information about consumer problems in the marketplace and the identity of merchants who might be engaging in fraudulent activity.
Can the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs represent me in a situation with legal issues to resolve?
The Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs represents the consuming public as a whole and not the interests of any one individual. If your situation requires individual representation or you would feel more comfortable with such representation, you should consult and consider hiring a private attorney.
What if I am unhappy with a company's customer service? Can your office help me?
If you feel the company has acted in a fraudulent, unfair or deceptive manner, by all means contact us. If, however, your complaint has to do with policies a business is free to set for itself—for example, issues such as merchandise refunds, acceptance of a check as payment or employee politeness and responsiveness—we have no statutory authority to intervene and must advise you to continue working directly with the company to resolve your dissatisfaction.
I believe I am the victim of identity fraud (my Social Security card was lost or stolen, there is inaccurate information on my credit reports, or someone is using my personal information). What do I do?
You need to take quick action to restore your good standing. Please see our Instructions for Victims of Identity Theft.
What if I don't have a specific complaint but just want information on a consumer topic? Does your office offer this kind of assistance or have publications available for distribution?
The Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs promotes consumer education. This web site offers a variety of information in the form of articles, tip sheets and printable brochures for you or your group, as well as links to other consumer protection web sites offering such publications.
You may contact our agency by calling 404-651-8600 or 800-869-1123 (toll-free in Georgia outside the metro Atlanta calling area) for personal assistance. Counselors are available by phone and to walk-in clients from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM weekdays. While they cannot give you legal advice, they can provide helpful tips and general consumer-related information. If you identify your area of interest, a counselor will be happy to send you whatever educational materials we may have on that subject.
I'm fed up with the amount of junk mail I receive on a daily basis. Contests, sweepstakes, special offers—it never ends. Is there anything I can do to reduce the amount of junk mail that comes to my home?
This office receives frequent complaints about sweepstakes offers and too-good-to-be-true sales pitches that don't seem to live up to their promises. To cut down on "junk mail," simply send your name and address to: Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, New York 10512.
To reduce the number of e-mail promotions you receive, go to www.e-mps.org to sign on without charge to the E-Mail Preference Service’s e-mail opt-out list.
To stop sexually oriented advertising from coming to your home, contact the U. S. Post Office and request a Form 2150 or Form 1500 to stop mail from a particular company. The Post Office maintains a list of consumers who do not want sexually oriented advertising mailed to their homes and provides the list to companies that mail such promotions.
Can I stop the unsolicited telephone calls?
The Georgia Do Not Call Law prohibits telemarketers selling a product or service from contacting households that have chosen to have their telephone numbers placed on the Do Not Call List. Exempt are calls from charitable organizations, political campaigns, and businesses with which you have a prior relationship, unless you have asked them not to call you.
Georgia’s Do Not Call List is now a part of the National Do Not Call Registry, which is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. You can sign up for the registry at no charge at www.donotcall.gov, or by calling 888-382-1222 (TTY 866-290-4236) from the number you wish to register. The federal government can assess penalties when telemarketers ignore or circumvent our privacy laws.
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